Short Taxi Fares (and the associated driver rage!)

[harvyk]

You were informed that the cabbie was dismissed? Just interested, because it would be a sense of justice if true (poor sod to be in that situation, but so be it).

They will likely accept your terms but you can bet your last dollar there will be no more smiles or courtesies. Then again, if you don't mind a stonewall ride (if it comes down to it), no problems.

Wasn't informed directly, it was however strongly implied by the conversation I had with the taxi company.

Personally when I take a taxi to get from A to B, I want to get from A to B as quickly and cheaply as I can. I have enough friends in the world who are up for a conversation if I'm after one. That's not to say I won't extend to common courtesies and / or engage in small talk whilst in the cab, but to me these are simply a bonus.

Should the driver had done such actions as to make the ride uncomfortable from that moment on, well I can take comfort in knowing it was the driver who initiated such things, by refusing to go the route I wanted / having a huff over a short ride etc...

 

[harvyk]

idoes the video camera also record sound?

Sure does, as if it wasn't working due to poor maintenance well it wouldn't exactly give weight to what the cabbie was claiming.

 

[Groundfeeder]

Do you travel regularly at the same time? Getting pick up at The Gap might just mean that a couple of drivers have worked out that there is a job to the airport at a certain time.

The spooky bit is being picked up randomly at BNE DOM. Not unusual to get familiar cabbies from The Gap, but to get them for the return journey ...

 

[medhead]

The spooky bit is being picked up randomly at BNE DOM. Not unusual to get familiar cabbies from The Gap, but to get them for the return journey ...

There were at least a half a dozen drivers who did airport work by preference when I was driving cabs. Definitely spooky but not impossible.

 

[drewbles]

As someone that works in an industry where we are booked out to clients at a rate per hour (which varies based on our experience and area of expertise), I have never understood why the cab drivers would queue for 3-4 hours to get a fare for what i'm guessing is most likely to the CBD. As has been mentioned here, on the chance they get a big fare, the chances are that when they drop their fare off, they're not likely to get another back from the destination.

I agree with the former cab drivers here, more short fares would work out better. You have far more chance of picking up people off busy streets who may only want to go say 4-7km, from one busy place to another, and then pickup another fare.

I'm all for the industry being fixed. Do it like they do in the UK. Black cabs = years of training, and you pay a suitable fee for the ability to get into a car that's spotless, and a driver that speaks fluent english, and knows exactly where they're going, usually without even needing to glance at an A-to-Z (I took a black cab a few years ago from Paddington station, informed him of a small street in Docklands I was going to and the response was "that's off Westferry no problems!". If only it was so easy here. Then, do the mini-cab system where you cannot 'hail' them, but there are a plethora of online apps for every smart phone to book them and have them pick you up (I use one called Kabbee which rates all the mini cab companies, shows you prices for each one, and lets you select and then rate the drivers, think Über for cheap rides, not luxury).

Bring in the mini cab and black cab scenario here. The whole industry would win I feel.

 

[wilrc1]

Melbourne has the worst taxis in the world, I have traveled extensively around the world and have never seen such a disgusting taxi industry as in Melbourne, Last week I was in Australia and tried to catch a cab from Southern Cross Station to Footscray, on approaching the cab the driver asked where I was going, I said are you available? he wouldnt answer but just repeated, where are you going, again I asked are you available and he said where are you going, when I said Footscray he simply said no... when I challenged this he said report me... so I did, I don't expect I will hear anything though as I have done this in the past and not even had an email reply acknowledging my complaint. I hate catching cabs in Melbourne, it makes me hate having to visit the city, if there was a train from the airport to the city and a better metropolitan train system I wouldnt touch Melbourne cabs!!!!!

 

[vertisol]

I guess it's hard to do a cost-benefit calculation when they don't know which fare they are going to get, it's a gamble really. They do have a more fair system at the airport, if they return within 20 minutes, they will go to the head of the queue (must return to the same terminal).
It's good for places like SYD, where they can take people to airport hotels and come back on time to get another fare without waiting too long.

Our Sydney office is in Rosebery and the usual reaction is either one of extreme grumpiness from the cabbies who know that's a bit more than a 20 minute return trip or the inner Ayrton Senna emerges and you get a death defying ride.

 

[JohnK]

Why does this happen regularly? If you drive a cab you are going to get some short fares and you are going to get some bigger fares. No one forces you to wait in line at the airport.

FWIW a cab driver with attitude should probably look for another job less stressful.

 

[Groundfeeder]

There were at least a half a dozen drivers who did airport work by preference when I was driving cabs. Definitely spooky but not impossible.

I wasn't even wearing my Spiderman pyjamas!!

 

[coles525]

"Cabbies Christmas confessions", next on channel 9, ACA.